He's best known for playing brooding werewolf Jacob Black in The Twilight Saga.

But Taylor Lautner has surprised viewers with his hidden comedic talents after making his British TV debut on series two of popular BBC Three sitcom Cuckoo Thursday evening.

Taylor was introduced as Dale Jr., the long-lost son of Andy Samberg's free-spirited hippy character Cuckoo, and Twitter lit up with praise for the actor's performance as he became a UK trending topic.

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Well played: Taylor Launter impresses audiences as he makes his BBC debut in series two of Cuckoo

One user tweeted: 'If Taylor Launter continues to be this funny in #Cuckoo, I'll forgive him for the Twilight series.'

Another commented: 'Taylor Lautner is actually funny! Who knew?!'

The 22-year-old actor seems to have quashed any doubts about his comedic prowess with his performance, which included a steamy nude scene, the perfect excuse to show off his famous abs.

Trending: Viewers praised Taylor's performance in the comedy series on Twitter

Explaining his decision to shed his clothes in the series two premiere, Taylor told the Radio Times: 'It was a conversation I had with all the producers and they justified it, saying they really wanted to take a poke and a stab for the fun of it. You guys do that so well, making fun of yourselves.”

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'My goal following the Twilight franchise was to challenge myself with a wide variety of roles and genres.

'Cuckoo was unlike anything I’d done before and I knew I’d have the time of my life!'

His character Dale Jnr. bursts in on the uptight British family, spearheaded by frustrated dad Ken Thompson (Greg Davies) and optimistic mother Lorna (Helen Baxendale), who were confronted by their daughter's new marriage to whacky Cuckoo.

Unrecognizable: Taylor Lautner sported a bushy beard in the Cuckoo series two premiere on Thursday night

Double act: Friends actress Helen Baxendale and The Inbetweeners' Greg Davies are back for series two

Happy families: Dale is invited to stay in the Thompson household when they discover his real identity

Andy Samberg had to pull out of his lead role due to commitments to his US comedy hit, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and the new series explains his absence by picking up two years after his character disappeared while walking in the Himalayas.

The new series sees Ken trying to encourage his bereaved daughter Rachel (Esther Smith) to move in with her boring boyfriend Ben when the mysterious Dale Jr. lands on the scene in Lichfield.

An eccentric, bearded backpacker who has travelled from an ashram in India in search of his father, the handsome stranger immediately catches Rachel's eye.

Making a scene: Dale Jr. has picked up some bizarre beliefs from the end-of-the-world cult he belongs to

After Esther quite literally runs into the man of her dreams with her car, Dale Jr. soon finds himself installed in the Thompson family home.

With his adorable accent, quirky one-liners and goofy facial expressions, Taylor proved a hit with both female fans and comedy-lovers, who took to Twitter to praise his performance.

Meanwhile, Tyger Drew-Honey, who returns as moody teen Dylan, recently said he thought Taylor made a great addition to the show.

He told DigitalSpy: 'Cuckoo has passed away between series one and two and then Dale drops into our lives and we take him in. He's really quite thick, but he's so loveable and has a real impact on our lives across the series.'

Cuckoo continues next Thursday at 10pm on BBC Three.

High praise: Fan reaction to Taylor's performance has so far been positive